Editing Leonard Howell (section)

== Core values, leadership, and social network ==
Among his followers, Howell preferred being called Gangunguru Maragh or G.G. Maragh to distinguish his ritual, mystical personality from his secular identity. Howell's ritual name is thought to be a combination of three [[Hindi]] words – gyan (wisdom), gun (virtue or talent), and guru (teacher). In Hindi, Maragh means "great kings" or "king of kings".<ref name=":1" /> Howell used this name as a pseudonym when he published ''The Promised Key''.

During a meeting at [[Port Morant|Port Mortant]], St. Thomas, in September 1933, it is recorded that Howell held a meeting that began with the singing of hymns. Then, Howell reportedly taunted clergymen of other religious denominations at the gathering and discouraged people from attending church because "ministers were liars".<ref name=":3" /> He also spoke critically of [[slavery]], claiming that "the White man stole Africa from the Africans, and that Black people should think that Africa is their home, not Jamaica".<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|title=The First Rasta: Leonard Howell and the Rise of Rastafarianism|last1=Lee|first1=Hélène|last2=Davis|first2=Stephen|date=2004-01-01|publisher=Chicago Review Press|isbn=9781556525582|edition=Tra|location=Chicago, Ill.|language=en}}</ref>

Howell's message of praise for Emperor Haile Selassie also came with an open call for black supremacy as a way to combat [[colonialism]] and reject oppression by whites. At times, Howell would ask his congregants to join together and sing "God Save the King" – the king being Haile Selassie.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Charles|first=Christopher A. D.|date=2014-01-12|title=Racial Socialization, Black Identity Transactions, Beauty and Skin Bleaching|ssrn=2378112|location=Rochester, NY|publisher=Social Science Research Network}}</ref> Howell's central doctrine acted as a force against white colonial ideology due to his placement of blackness as morally superior to whiteness, as is explained in his widely read publication, ''The Promised Key''.{{cn|date=January 2022}}

Howell is remembered as being a charismatic and authoritarian leader who sincerely cared about the wellbeing of his followers. In 1939, Howell founded the [http://lphfoundation.org/the-ethiopian-salvation-society/ Ethiopian Salvation Society (ESS)] whose objective was to use collective savings to better its members. A secondary purpose of the ESS was to help spread the good news about salvation and Christianity and underscore the value of self-help and good citizenship. These secondary purposes were expressly stated so as to shield the organization from suspicion that it was promoting sedition. Nevertheless, in 1940 the Jamaican governor responded to pressure from the colonial secretary and the labour leadership by officially banning a meeting of the ESS due to the resentment the organization was creating as well as its internationalization.<ref name=":0" />

In addition to his leadership role in the ESS, Howell served as a role model and father figure for the growing Rastafarian community. His audacious, generous personality, combined with his well-travelled background, made early Rastafarians particularly receptive to his messages. Howell brought "the hope of a new generation, one which was inspired by the magnificence of the new Ethiopian emperor."<ref name=":1" />

To expand Howell's Rastafarian network, he formed relationships with other black groups such as the [[Afro-Athlican Constructive Gaathly]] and the [[Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League|UNIA]]. Additionally he collaborated closely with other icons of the Rastafarian movement such as Marcus Garvey and [[George Padmore]], a [[Trinidadians|Trinidadian]] journalist.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hoenisch|first=Michael|date=1988-01-01|title=Symbolic Politics: Perceptions of the Early Rastafari Movement|jstor=25090008|journal=The Massachusetts Review|volume=29|issue=3|pages=432–449}}</ref>

Howell's appeal for identification with Africa was in opposition to concurrent movements in Jamaica promoting a Jamaican [[creole peoples|creole]] nationalism. Howell positioned himself as an opponent of the labour nationalists [[Alexander Bustamante|Bustamante]] and [[Norman Manley|Manley]] who had gained a substantial following among the working class. Howell preached to both the working class and the peasantry in Jamaica, attempting to unite disenfranchised black people to overcome colonial oppression.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=DUNKLEY|first=DAIVE A.|date=2012-01-01|title=Leonard P. Howell's Leadership of the Rastafari Movement and his "Missing Years"|jstor=43487732|journal=Caribbean Quarterly|volume=58|issue=4|pages=1–24|doi=10.1080/00086495.2012.11672454|s2cid=150901621}}</ref> Jamaica's independence in 1962 (which nevertheless maintained social, political and economic ties between Jamaica and [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]]) was largely a disappointment for Howell, who had called for the complete severance of relations with Britain.